MONTGOMERY -- It's that time of year again. The time when candidates for local, state and federal offices rush out to streets and roads to find the best yard sign locations.

Some will find hot spots in neighborhoods or business centers, once they get permission from property owners.

Other candidates, and their supporters, will put campaign yard signs in the rights-of-way that are controlled by the state of Alabama or municipal governments. Those signs will come down sooner or later, says one state official, and they will be thrown in the garbage.

But if the signs were in a public right-of-way, it was likely the state of Alabama or municipal sanitation officials taking down the signs.

Tony Harris, spokesman for the Alabama Department of Transportation, said placing campaign or business signs in rights-of-way is a violation of Alabama Code 23-1-6, which reads: "Signs,
markers, and advertising on the rights-of-way of state controlled
highways are prohibited except those official signs or markers placed
thereon by the State Department of Transportation or under its
authority."

But the state and cities often don't have time to take down every sign immediately. It's a reality of staffing, Harris said, especially when election years mean more signs on public properties.

But if the signs pose a safety or maintenance issue, they will come down faster, he said.

Signs along the interstates, which are maintained by the state, are illegal if they are in the median, or the right of way on the side of the road that generally stretches to a fence line, Harris said.

The state Department of Transportation conducts regular clean-up activities.

Harris said major political organizations were sent an advisory about sign rules regarding rights of way.